Montserrat Núñez Badilla , CMP | Independent Corporate Event Planner

Montserrat Núñez Badilla , CMP | Independent Corporate Event Planner

Name & Company?

My name is Montserrat Núñez Badilla, and I currently work as an independent corporate event planner.

Number of years as a CMP?

I am a new CMP about to complete my first certified year this upcoming November 2021. 

Where did you grow up?

I was born and grew up in San José, Costa Rica.

 What did you want to (or think you’d) be when you grew up?

I had a variety of dream professions growing up, I always wanted to be someone who had firsthand contact with people. I went through preschool teacher phase, a politics and communications phase before I chose my final career.

What was your educational field of study (college major or whatever, as applicable), and, if notably different from what you do, your how/why/story?

I ended up deciding on Hotel Management. I was looking for a dynamic and fun profession that would give me different challenges each day and definitely found it.  Fresh out of college, my first job was in the event and group sales department of the Costa Rica Marriott Hotel. Here, I got my first look at the events industry and fell in love with it. A few years later, I decided to study a Masters program in Communications and Marketing, in order to have a better understanding of events and their implementation in the corporate industry.

What advice would you give, either to your younger self or to newer professionals now?

To my younger self and to new professionals, I would advise to first trust yourself and your talent. Do not wait until someone else validates your work to feel you are a good and worthy professional. And second, to enjoy the process, and for me, this advice is still hard to apply every day. Enjoy being a newcomer, a veteran, enjoy learning, making mistakes, having doors shut and opened. Your career is not the final product or final job, but the journey itself.

What advice would you give to anyone preparing to take the exam?

Take your time to study. Not only to do well in the exam but to fully soak in and enjoy all the wonderful information and details that the preparation course offers. So, start early with the reading, take notes and apply as much as you can to your day to day.

When did you first hear about the CMP designation and what drew you to this certification?

I first heard of this designation three years ago when I started working at the Costa Rica Convention Center. Before, I was not aware there was a possibility of having an international certification in meetings and events. In Costa Rica, there are not many academic or professional preparation options that are specific to the MICE industry, and I had always wanted to have specific studies and preparation in my field that were recognized internationally.

What inspires you the most when you think about the future of our industry or the impact of our industry?

I am inspired daily by the power of connection and interaction and how our industry promotes and enhances this. I believe that we have the force of creating experiences that empower, innovate and design solutions in every possible field, to design spaces and agendas that will change the way people think and how industries work. Now that we have lived two years without it, we know the power of a face-to-face conversation or a powerful keynote speech. When people meet, great things happen.

How has earning the CMP designation impacted (or benefited) your career?

The CMP designation has not only provided new knowledge but validated my previous experience and reconfirmed my love for what I do, and this translates into confidence in myself as a professional. For my clients and peers, working with a certified professional means ease of mind for they are certain that they are working with someone who not only knows what they do, but is endorsed by the international community implementing international standards and quality in all their projects.

Favorite snack?

More than a favorite snack, I have a favorite snack time: coffee time or in Spanish, la hora del café. Around 3 to 5 in the afternoon when you take a break from whatever you’re doing, have some coffee, bread or a sweet pastry with work colleagues, family or friends. More than the snack or menu, It’s the conversations and decompressing that makes me love my coffee times.

What is the biggest life lesson you have learned during the pandemic?

During the pandemic, I became a first-time mom, so you may say I have had a crash course in life lessons during this past year! But the main one I would say is to try to slow down and live in the moment, cherish the time you have in your home, with your family, make time to rest and take care of not only your body but your mind as well. The pandemic forced many of us to come to a complete stop, and hopefully, we don’t rush back to our normal stressed-out selves and make time to slow down once in a while.

What is the most memorable in-person experience you planned? What is the most memorable virtual event you have done so far?

My most memorable in-person experience I have planned have been a series of corporate events for the Coca-Cola Company Latin Center. I worked several years as their Key Account Manager, planning their annual Bottlers Meetings in several destinations around Latin America. These events were filled with branding requirements, VIP guests and international program logistics that will always keep a planner on their toes, but for me what made them so memorable was the collaborative team we made with the Coca-Cola Company Staff. We became a family that traveled twice each year for two-week programs and worked together around the clock to make these events happen. They became friendships that last to this day.

My most memorable virtual event was our virtual services launch at the Costa Rica Convention Center. I had the opportunity of not only coordinating and planning the event, but of being on camera and deliver the content we had carefully designed for our audience along with the rest of the managing team. Having the experience of being part of the virtual content allowed me to have a better understanding of the challenges of not being face to face with your audience, to be able to read the room, and how content and scripts for virtual events must be carefully adapted for this.

What was the last book you read/listened to?

I have been reading several books simultaneously trying to finish them, but lately I have not found the time. My last finished books are Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Mujeres del Alma Mía by Isabel Allende, both by incredible female authors with incredible female main characters that make inspiring reads.

Who will be your dream keynote speaker at your event? Why?

Michelle Obama. I have always admired her as a public figure, but after I read her book Becoming, my admiration became inspiration and motivation. She manages to make the former first lady of the United States of America relatable in her daily struggles with her professional career, marriage and motherhood.  As attendee for the event, I wouldn’t think twice before attending and listen to her. As the event planner, she is the type of speaker that moves fibers in the audience, that make the event memorable and generate a genuine connection with the brand, and this is all we are looking for.

What are the benefits you like of hosting virtual events? What do you miss the most for in-person events? Or do you miss it at all?

Personally, I like the versatility of virtual events, of providing high quality content, speakers and advertisement in a brief and simple space. With the correct partners and content, exceptional broadcasts can be designed that deliver an entertaining and engaging experience. Yet for me, nothing will be able to replace face to face interaction to make meaningful business and true connections. Events feed from the guests' excitement and interaction and this is a key element that we will always miss in a virtual event.

What is your favorite travel destination?

I love to travel and have loved every country I have been able to visit, but my favorite by far is Spain. I fell in love with its food (the bread, I can’t stop eating it), wine, beer, culture and streets since my first trip. I have been able to go back a couple of times and hope to continue exploring this wonderful country.

Do you have a favorite quote?

“No hay mal que por bien no venga”

No hardship comes to your life without a good reason. For me, this quote means to see all challenges and hard times as opportunities and as the way life has to clear your path for better and new things to come. It's all about the perspective and attitude you have toward the good and the bad in your life. Hopefully, we can learn that even a pandemic, with all the hurt and hardships that it brought, can be turned into an opportunity for us to grow and improve.